How we can combat climate changeThe Washington Post - This opinion piece describes promising climate policy ideas that can help start the planet down a path toward a better future, including local government and energy efficiency initiatives.

We still have a couple of months of cold weather left in the season and it’s not too late to think about ways to save on heating costs. PG&E and SCE both offer rebates for the purchase of smart thermostats.

I rarely make New Years resolutions because I can rarely keep them. Terrible, I know. However, I have vowed to turn a new leaf in 2019. While these resolutions may not be particularly lofty, they are ones I know I can keep and they are environmentally friendly to boot!

Whether or not you can install solar panels, a wind turbine, or a geothermal system, you can still make a difference with renewable energy investments and fossil fuel divestment’s.

In order to meet climate change goals, we have to keep fossil fuels in the ground. Studies have shown that 80% of the world’s fossil fuels must remain underground in order to ensure we can still mitigate climate change impacts. To make matters a bit more challenging, the UN recently reported that we have little more than a decade to curb our emissions in order to minimize risks of catastrophic drought, famine, poverty, and uninhabitable regions.

Who would have guessed that 1 of the top 25 most advanced water reclamation facilities in the world would be right here in the valley! Those who are not familiar with the valley I am sure have not heard of the City of Visalia. Visalia is located off the highway 99 just 45 minutes south of Fresno and the location of mentioned advanced facility.

In order to keep up with the changing energy efficiency landscape and the evolving needs of local governments, we are updating the Statewide Local Government Energy Efficiency Best Practices Coordinator's (BPC) scope of work. Please help us by taking this short survey that will allow us to better serve the energy efficiency needs of local governments across the state. Deadline: October 31, 2018

How reliable is the electricity source in your community? With the increasing severity of natural disasters, we must be prepared to protect ourselves, our neighbors, and our community when the next wildfire, storm, or earthquake strikes! Join LGSEC on Thursday October 25th in Santa Rosa to learn how residents, local governments, and utilities can prepare for and recover from the next natural disaster.

Electricity must be at its most reliable state as cities and counties across the U.S experience climate uncertainty. The total cost of sustained power interruptions for the United States is $44 billion per year, a 25% increase since 2002. Addressing the costs, planning, and solutions of power interruptions is a shared responsibility across multiple entities and all levels of government.

Learn about local energy resilience, disaster response, and recovery solutions, along with recounts of the 2017 firestorms from our expert panel of local leaders and utility representatives.

Continue the conversation on Friday October 26th at our free tour exploring local microgrid structures and storage systems at Santa Rosa Junior College.

Energy “reach codes” are local ordinances that support energy efficiency and Climate Action Plans by strengthening building energy requirements. Many cities are researching options to better encourage electrification, efficiency, and renewable energy. Prior to adopting local energy requirements, state law requires a public finding that the proposal is cost-effective. Staff from San Francisco, Marin County, Sonoma County, Santa Monica, and Berkeley – with input from BayREN and NRDC – have developed a joint request for the Statewide Codes and Standards program to develop provide a Title 24 2019 Reach Code Cost Effectiveness Report.

The requested study could be referenced to support the adoption of a range of reach codes under T24 2019, such as:

A reach code that provides a choice between all-electric or very-efficient mixed fuel – similar to reach codes adopted by Palo Alto and Marin County under T24 2016.

All-electric only, an option that several city councils have requested information about.

The analysis would be completed at no cost or obligation to local governments; utility ratepayer funds are available for this purpose – they just need a clear request. The more local governments support the request, the clearer the case for investing in the study.

Webinar: Preparing for the Storm: Minimizing Risk through Resilience

As the frequency of extreme weather events is on the rise, existing buildings are vulnerable to power disruption, equipment failures, displacement of residents, and other costly damages. This webinar will feature tools and strategies to improve the resilience of existing buildings and community assets through building upgrades and microgrids.

The webinar will include an overview of DNV GL’s B-READY building resilience tool, which helps building owners and managers translate climate-related, site-specific risks into actionable resilience strategies. DNV GL will share findings from real-world projects to demonstrate resilience in action, including Seattle City Light’s development of a microgrid at the urban Miller Community Center, designed to serve as a community hub during a grid outage.

Does your jurisdiction have an existing rental housing program/policy? Let us know here!

Build It Green and StopWaste, an Alameda County public agency aimed at reducing waste, invite you to participate in a California rental housing program survey. The purpose of this survey is to gather information about rental housing programs in California to evaluate the potential for a rental policy to drive energy efficiency improvements. By completing this survey, you will help us understand the opportunity to support local governments to increase energy efficiency upgrades across the state.

We expect this survey to take about 10 minutes to complete. Thank you for your participation!

Webinar tomorrow!

EcoMotion’s leadership team will be “Live”, Tuesday, September 18th, giving the most comprehensive webinar yet on planning, financing, installing, and managing microgrids at campuses, cities, and multi-complex sites. EcoMotion has implemented its unique design for Powered Emergency Response Centers (PERCs) that can supply electricity indefinitely, even when the grid is down by coupling battery storage with a solar system.

Ted Flanigan, founder of EcoMotion, and Michael Ware, Senior Energy Executive, will lead this webinar and take participants through the actionable steps they used to bring six installed PERCs to campuses in California.

You will leave knowing:

Buildings, campuses, and communities that are ideal candidates for PERCs and microgrids

How to design a carbon-free microgrid (PERC)

Financing options for microgrids, program funding, and incentives

Engaging the community and promoting resiliency leadership

Managing, maintaining, and making the most of your microgrid environment